MS buys Skype - will it support Linux

[Nadav Har'El]

On Wed, May 11, 2011, Amos Shapira wrote about "MS buys Skype - will it support Linux":
> In case this haven't hit your newspad yet:
> http://blogs.skype.com/en/2011/05/microsoft_will_acquire_skype.html
> 
> Any ideas on what it implies for none-Windows platform support?

I am not aware of *any* Microsoft product that is officially supported on
Linux. So I don't think there's any chance that a Linux version of Skype
will continue to exist.

That being said, three questions remain to be answered:

1. How hard is it to create a free front-end to the Skype servers? For
   example, ICQ never had (as far as I know) a Linux version, but I've been
   using it for years through free clients like (today) Pidgin.

2. With all the world moving to VOIP and video chats, is Skype still unique?
   I know that Google Voice is available (but not in Israel...), and probably
   others (I didn't look too hard).

3. Will Microsoft also drop support for Skype on non-Microsoft smartphone OSs
   (iOS, android, etc.)?

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Nadav Har'El                        |     Wednesday, May 11 2011, 7 Iyyar 5771
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